Social media & mobiles used by 50% of Scottish jobseekers

A comprehensive survey of over 1,500 job seekers was carried out, and the results provide a fascinating insight into the attitudes and behaviours of the modern “social” and “mobile” job seekers in Scotland today.

Over the past two years, the recruitment business has noticed a significant change in job seekers’ online behaviours, with a staggering 128% increase in visits to the company website from mobile devices alone. This trend has been reflected in the rapid proliferation of mobile-friendly websites, and job seekers are now more able than ever before to search and apply for new career opportunities while on the move.

The report also illustrates how social media has revolutionised the way in which candidates find jobs. A consequence of social media is that job seekers are now often far more passive than in previous generations optimising their online profiles in the hope that they will be headhunted by proactive recruiters.

Whilst LinkedIn is the obvious social network for finding new career opportunities, savvy job seekers are no longer limiting themselves to just one social network. Active job searches are becoming increasingly common on Facebook and Twitter - social networks traditionally seen as more “social” than “professional”.

Craig Jackson, Head of Client Services at Eden Scott commented, “Social and mobile have led to the creation of an & lsquo;always-on’ generation. The evidence highlighted in this report emphasises the need for businesses to be proactive and open-minded in order to reach the modern job seeker. This includes being present on social networking sites, and having a website that is optimised for mobile.”